Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 11

California Men Arrested in $100,000 Burglary After Alleged Selfies, One Posts $25,000 Bail

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 11

California Men Arrested in $100,000 Burglary After Alleged Selfies, One Posts $25,000 Bail

Q: One suspect posted bail, the other jailed for conspiracy. What does this suggest about their alleged roles in the crime?

It suggests prosecutors currently see Daniel Lemas as the more direct participant in the burglary itself, while Dennis Tylij is being held as an alleged partner in planning or coordinating it. Police said Lemas was tied to “multiple felony charges” and that investigators recovered alleged selfie photos showing him committing the burglary. That points to more direct evidence placing him at the scene and actively involved in the theft. His release after posting $25,000 bail does not mean the case against him is weaker; it mainly shows bail was set at an amount he was able to pay. Tylij, by contrast, was booked on a felony conspiracy charge and remained in jail as of the latest report. A conspiracy charge focuses on an alleged agreement to commit the crime and some act taken to advance it, even if the person was not the one physically carrying out every part of the burglary. In practice, that can indicate investigators believe he had a coordinating, assisting, or shared-planning role. Still, the difference in custody status does not by itself prove one man was more culpable than the other. It may reflect bail terms, ability to post bail, prior record, or court conditions rather than a final judgment about their roles. Based on the reported evidence, the clearest distinction is that Lemas is alleged to have been directly captured participating in the burglary, while Tylij is alleged to have been involved through a criminal agreement tied to it.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 11

$100,000 in stolen tools, copper wire and vehicles led American Canyon police to arrest Daniel Lemas, 53, and Dennis Tylij, 49, over a July 6 business burglary.
Selfie photos allegedly showing Lemas during the break-in became key evidence after investigators traced two vehicles tied to the burglary and alerted neighboring agencies.
Alameda County deputies stopped one vehicle on July 7 and detained Lemas; Hayward police stopped the second on July 8, after which American Canyon officers arrested Tylij.
A search of a Hayward home recovered some stolen property, while Lemas was booked on multiple felony charges and Tylij on a felony conspiracy charge.
Lemas has since posted $25,000 bail and been released, while Tylij remains in Napa County jail.